“The McMaster OT program is a phenomenal program that will prepare you for working in today’s healthcare system. The OT program is reflective of healthcare today and continues to advance and expand.” Thanks to her continued engagement in the program as an Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct), Laurie Perrett has firsthand knowledge of the program’s evolution and embodiment of evidence-based practice and interprofessional collaboration which makes students extremely marketable as future therapists. Laurie currently works as a Psychogeriatric Resource Consultant for St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton’s Seniors Mental Health Outreach Program in Halton, providing support and education to staff in long term care homes caring for persons who exhibit responsive behaviours associated with dementia, mental illness, addiction and/or neurological conditions.

The OT program has been instrumental in the achievement of Laurie’s career goals, and the self-directed learning philosophy of the program inspired her to be innovative and bolstered her confidence to explore new ideas. She feels the OT program also enabled her success in attaining a Master’s degree in Health Management in 2016 from McMaster’s joint program between the DeGroote School of Business and the SRS, using the theoretical knowledge, clinical reasoning and inquiry skills first acquired as a student Occupational Therapist.

Laurie wants prospective students to know that the McMaster OT program provides a unique opportunity to define one’s own learning path and instills the knowledge and skills to discover and create new opportunities for OT practice in society. There is a mutual exchange of knowledge that takes place between students and faculty which creates a dynamic and inspiring learning environment, and to our great delight, “I am honoured to tell others that I am a graduate of the OT program at McMaster!”